PC Coop: Committee Strategic Plan and First Term Programme: consideration

18 February 2013

Chairperson: Ms D Nhlengethwa (ANC)

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Meeting Summary

The Committee deliberated on the 2012-2014 Strategic Plan. It was agreed that the Committee needed to hear an analysis of the Intergovernmental Relations Framework Act from the Department of Cooperative Governance before they could effect any changes to the legislation. Deadlines were discussed and agreed upon for all the objectives. Members decided they would follow up why their application to conduct a study tour of municipalities in France was rejected.

Members adopted the First Term Committee Programme with minor amendments.

Meeting report

Opening Remarks
The Chairperson welcomed all present in the meeting and briefly reminded the Committee about the oversight visit made three weeks ago to two municipalities in Mpumalanga. She recognised that the problems faced by the two municipalities regarding the scarcity of water was the result of climate changes, which was compounded by lack of proper planning from the side of the municipalities.

Strategic Plan 2012-2014
The Chairperson requested Mr J Steenhuizen of the DA to take the members through the Vision, mission, mandate, strategic goals and list of entities overseen by the Committee contained in the Strategic Plan.

The Members accepted the vision as outlined and no changes were made.

Mr Steenhuizen raised a concern about the lack of coherence in the structure of traditional leaders nationally, and further suggested that a framework was needed nationally to have uniformity in the structures of traditional leaders.

The Committee accepted the mandate, strategic goals and the list of entities overseen by the Committee without making any changes.

Strategic Planning ApproachMr Steenhuizen suggested that the Department of Cooperative Governance needed to give the Committee an analysis of the Intergovernmental Relations Framework Act before thy could effect any amendments. The Committee agreed that the time frame for this should be June 2013.

On the performance objective for fostering better cooperation and synergy with entities working on issues directly relevant to the Committee, Members agreed that the time frame should be February 2013.
The members agreed that there should be an additional immediate objective that would enable municipalities to come up with alternative streams of revenue.

In terms of overseeing the function of the Anti-Corruption Inspectorate, Members had to know how many municipalities had ombudsman officers and what there case load was like.

On the objective to ensure responsible handling of Demarcation issues, the Chairperson suggested that there should be a broader consultation when the demarcation board performed its demarcation duties. It was further suggested that the demarcation board needed to use the constituency offices. The Committee resolved that the list of institutions and structures responsible for demarcation had to be listed in the strategic plan.

On the Committee’s objective to conduct a study tour of municipalities in France, Members resolved to follow up on the reasons the proposal was rejected.

The Committee agreed that they had to get a national picture of the structures of traditional leaders and they promised to engage all the provincial structures in order to have a national framework on the affairs of traditional leadership. The Committee committed to visiting all the provincial traditional houses.

The Committee decided that the objective for engaging with San and Khoi communities to foster promotion of their heritage would have to be met by April 2013. The objective to ensure effective management of disasters would have to be met by March 2013.

The Committee resolved to invite scientists to do a briefing for them. Based on this briefing, the Committee would decide if the scientists could go and make the briefing to the communities as well.

Ms C Mosimane (COPE) moved for the adoption of the Strategic Plan and Mr G Boinamo (DA) seconded the move.

The Strategic Plan was adopted with amendments.
First Term Committee Programme

The Chairperson indicted that the programme would be largely informed by the Strategic Plan of the Committee, and she proposed that the programme should prioritise municipalities that were affected by the water challenges.

After a brief discussion about the Committee Programme, Members made minor amendments.

Ms I Ditshetelo (UCDP) moved for the adoption of the Committee’s programme and was seconded by Mr D Mavunda (ANC).